Muscle pain in hands during pregnancy

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome During Pregnancy

29.03.2016 Andrew Johns 0 Popular

Pregnancy and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

You notice that prickling and numbness in your hands often occur (or do not disappear) during the course of pregnancy? Most likely, this sensations are caused by carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). As a rule, exactly those people whose job is connected with the repeated hands actions suffer from this illness (for example, computer programmers or conveyor workers). However, pregnant women are also very often inclined to having the illness.

The symptoms of a carpal tunnel syndrome may include numbness, prickling, pain or dull pain in fingers hands or wrists. This symptoms, as a rule, occur and, then, disappear for some time. They get worse during the nighttime period. Therefore you start have troubles with sleeping. Sometimes, the discomfort caused by the syndrome may spread to the forearm, the area of a shoulder or even the whole arm! In serious or chronic cases of the illness, an arm may become “clumsy” and weak. The patients often complain that the fingers unclench on their own.

The symptoms may occur on one or both hands. They may occur at any time but it is most likely that they will occur during the second half of the pregnancy period when the majority of women starts having legs swelling. Usually, the symptoms of CTS start to gradually disappear after the labor as does the swelling.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome During Pregnancy?

The wrists are bone channels the tree sides of which are formed by the wrist bones and a junction that goes through the wrist. In case of pregnant women, the swelling and the liquid that is prevented from leaving the system increase the pressure in this rather narrow and inflexible area. Consequently, the median nerve that goes through the wrist gets squeezed.

The median nerve sends nerve impulses to the thumbs, index, middle and ring fingers. It is also responsible for the movements of muscles at the base of the thumbs. The pressure on this nerve causes the symptoms of CST.

How to Ease the Pain in Case of CST?

Try defining what movements cause (or sharpen) your syndrome and avoid these activities. Sometimes, you may change the way you do things during the day in order to protect your hands. For example, if you are working on computer, adjust the height of the chair so that your wrist are lying on the table and not just hanging in the air. You may but an ergonomic keyboard. This type of keyboard is very helpful for people who have CST. You should necessarily make short breaks so that to move your hands and stretch them.

If the symptoms disturb you during the nighttime, try fixating a wrist in a neutral position (so that it wasn’t bent). In order to do it you may use an elastic band. Avoid sleeping on your hands. If you wake up during the night because of pain, try clenching and unclenching your fingers until the pain or the numbness doesn’t go away.

In What Cases You Need to Call Your Doctor?

Consult your doctor if pain and numbness are constantly bothering you. If they do not let you sleep normally or do things you usually do. Do not start taking any painkillers if you haven’t previously consulted your doctor! Instead of pills, your doctor may suggest you wearing an elastic band on the wrist or the lower part of the arm. This is the treatment that has helped a lot of people with CST. If symptoms are constantly occurring and they are rather serious (a constant numbness, muscle weakness and loss of sensibility) then you will be referred to a professional.

In the majority of cases, CST disappears on its own, several months after the labor. If the symptoms do not go away 3-4 months after the baby is born, you need to go to an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon is most likely to recommend you splinting and taking NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), for example, ibuprofen.

If there is no positive result from using conservative means of treatment CST, next step is a course of cortisone injections. In very serious cases, a simple surgical interference may be required. This way the pressure on the median nerve will be decreased.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome During Your Pregnancy?

Main causes of pain in muscles and joints

When you start worrying pain in muscles and joints, the causes can be different. Such pain can indicate the presence of many diseases. When patients observed a stiffness in the movements, feelings of fatigue, poor health and an increased load on the muscles. In especially severe cases the symptoms are so severe that the person is no longer able to move independently. Constant pain in joints lead to degenerative and inflammatory processes, which provoke the development of diseases.

Main characterising points

As is known, the joints serve as connectors for the bones of the whole body. It simultaneously acquires two essential qualities: mobility and stability. The connection structure includes two surfaces of bone are covered with cartilage, with the lumen in the form of a slit between them. This gap is filled with synovial fluid. And the joint has the location of the joint capsule. For full proper functionality of the joints are the connecting bags, the mucous surface, and those fragments that increase the size of tendons, the tendons and ligaments.

Inflammation of the joints accompanied by stiffness in his movements, appearance of swelling, redness and obvious external inflammation of a certain area, which is expressed in increased sensitivity with pressure and physical activity.

Joint diseases are conventionally divided into two main groups:

Diseases of an inflammatory nature;

Diseases of degenerative character.

Joint Disease of an inflammatory nature can be attributed to the category of rheumatic changes.

In clinical practice is the presence of the following ailments related to joints:

Degenerative changes, destructive processes (osteoarthritis);

Rheumatic inflammation in the joints;

Infectious processes;

Abnormalities in the structure of joint;

Malformations, dysplasia

Secondary osteoarthritis, which developed as a result of the trauma.

In many cases, the defeat exposed the bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons and the joint itself, most commonly in the knees. Diseases of degenerative nature inherent in people of the senior age category.

The Most typical manifestation can be called the defeat of the knee, hip and vertebral joints. Increased load on the joint as a cause of osteoarthritis most often occurs in professional athletes and in people with excess weight. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the defeat exposed the joints of the feet, the knees and shoulders. People involved in ski-skating and football, often suffer from tears to the menisci and cruciate ligaments. Not uncommon to represent dislocations, muscle and tendon injuries, ruptures of capsules, and nerves.

As a causal factor may be the defects identified at birth. An example is dysplasia, when the acetabulum is too small and cannot completely accommodate the head of the femur. Inflammatory processes in the joints are diseases of autoimmune origin.

In rheumatoid arthritis the defeat exposed first hands, in very rare cases, other joints are affected and groups. The disease has a periodic вЂњwanderingвЂќ pain, accompanied by an active inflammatory process. The main cause of the disease is to hit the joint, infection along with blood.

Marks the appearance of arthritis on a background of psoriasis, impaired metabolism, with ankylosing spondylitis and chondrocalcinosis, which still has the name of the false gout. The development of the disease if the related ailments for self most often finds its appearance in a weakened functionality of the immune system, the very first sign which you are flying pains in the joints.

Musculoskeletal pain and its causes

To answer the question of why do muscles hurt, it is necessary to establish the cause, which often indicates the presence of a particular disease. Muscle pain, or myalgia, tend to appear as a result of inflammation.

Muscular system of man consists of elastic fabric, able to decrease under the action of pulses. Intended muscles to perform various movements, the introduction of the vocal cords and implementation of the respiratory processes.

For myalgia is characterized by the appearance of pain when the mobility of muscles, or by pressure on certain areas of the body. The defeat can be as one muscle, anda certain muscle group. There is the spread of pain to adjacent tendons, fascia and ligaments. Most muscle pain occurs with high physical loads result in sprains or injuries.

It is Worth noting that in this scenario the disease is a definite muscle group some time after exposure to. To pain in the muscles may have several causal factors, such as medications that help to reduce cholesterol levels, and inhibitors of enzymes capable of lowering blood pressure.

Some traits

The Inflammatory process in skeletal muscle has a habit of appearing as complications after a viral and infectious diseases of catarrhal nature.

The Causes can be due to bacterial and parasitic nature of occurrence. When myositis appear painful sensations in the hands, lower extremities and trunk, which have a tendency to become more pronounced during active movements of the body. Muscle lesions can seal in the form of strand or knots. If a person has an open injury, you may receive purulent myositis.

The characteristic signs of the disease include:

Increased temperature

The appearance of shivering, fever;

Increased pain, swelling;

Muscle tension with seals and on top of reddened skin.

One of a peculiar form is a parasite myositis, which, affecting the muscles, characterized by onset of fever, muscular pains in the limbs, in the chest area and language. The lack of calcium with potassium provokes electrolyte abnormalities. And pain that occur in muscle structures and are the most common manifestations, can be safely attributed to the category of fibromyalgia.

According to studies, with fibromyalgia may experience periodic sleep disturbance.

The Disease characterized by such signs as a pain, a feeling of stiffness in the morning, frequent insomnia, fatigue and tiredness. Localized fibromyalgia may in different parts of the body. Noted that the most common places the lesions are the occipital region, lower back, neck, shoulder, chest, hip and knee joints. Thus most often the pain occurs the female half of the population.

If you have physical stress, insomnia, trauma, dampness and systematic rheumatic diseases, discomfort tends to boost. Development of the fibromyalgia syndrome is most common in young women with disturbing and sensitive nature, which are in a state of stress and depression.

According to statistics, the disease also suffered by people of adolescent age, mostly girls. As for the men, they get sick mostly during physical strain related to professional activity or engage in professional sports. In fibromyalgia the primary character muscle pain can occur throughout the body with the presence of pixels with increased sensitivity, which can be easily determined by feeling.

Needless to say, when joints and muscles ache, to treat these symptoms not superficially. In order to know what to do next and what action to take, it is necessary first to conduct a detailed examination of the patient. After the appropriate diagnosis by the attending physician treatment and exercises.

Diagnosis and treatment of pain in joints and muscles

Clarify the diagnosis when the appearance of pain in joints and muscles produced by external examination of the patient, clinical blood examinations, x-rays of joints, examination with magnetic resonance and computer diagnostics, ultrasonography, arthroscopy and endoscopy.

It is Possible to obtain more detailed data will need to playback the puncture of joints. With similar clinical manifestations, regardless of their causes, doctors usually prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets and gel. This is due to the need to eliminate the pain, remove swelling (for example, using the same gel), reduce inflammation, relieve temperature and fever. The pellets are composed of organic acids:

To side effects when taking these drugs can include negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract due to the fact that they are made on the basis of the above acids. Other special side effects when taking these drugs is not observed. Basically, if the aching joints and muscles, the treatment is done the following preparations:

The Use of pain relievers for sore joints and muscles should be considered mandatory. After further diagnosis, the doctor himself will select the appropriate medication for each individual patient. However, the treatment of the disease provides a comprehensive approach that addresses not only the removal of pain. Next steps involve the introduction of homeopathic treatment, correction of diet, a course of medical gymnastics and physical culture, and manual therapy.

When pain in muscles and joints, especially if she begins to acquire stable form, it is mandatory to seek medical help. This symptomatology is not a harmless and ultimately can lead to more serious consequences.

March 2011 Babies

Pain in Hands/Wrist during Pregnancy?

I usually do not reply to posts, but when I saw your message I felt that I had to speak up. Â My pregnancy (I’m at 28 weeks now) has been very uneventful (no morning sickness, weird cravings, etc.), but I have had some pretty severe pain in my hands. Â One night, I had severe pain in one of my right hand forefinger joints; the pain was so severe that I couldn’t sleep and ended up resting on the couch with my hand elevated. Â I was so tired and frustrated that I started to cry! Â Thankfully, the pain has not been AS bad lately, but it is very annoying; I work asÂ a cataloging librarian, which means that the majority of my time is spent at a computer typing, mousing, and manipulating books of various shapes and sizes. Â I asked my doctor for some tips to make the pain go away and she said to ice the joints if they are swollen, elevate the hand, and take Tylenol for the pain. Â Otherwise, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of doing everyday tasks (using my middle finger for mousing, lifting small objects with my left hand, etc.) and trying to rest it when possible.

It’s very common, and actually, carpal tunnal is extremely common during pregnancy as well, so it could BE carpal tunnel. Talk to your doctor about it.

I sure have! my hands & wrists have been hurting real bad especially at night. at first i thought i slept on it wrong but this hasn’t gone away. i noticed this around my 35th week. my hands swell at night but resume regular feeling during the day but my wrist hurts through out the whole day. who knew, another pregnancy symptom! i’m tired of all these symptoms & heartburn. my due dates tomorrow but i’m thinking baby has decided to stay for a while longer. i’m like a pregzilla over here. please pray for me.

I did notice this week I have been having some discomfort when I’m cooking and stirring so it might be coming on a little. Â

The Weather and Your Joints

Some people check the news for the weather forecast. But for many people with arthritis and related joint pain, they already know when a storm is on the way.

Joint pain occurs from a variety of factors, one of the most common being arthritis, a broad term to describe the 100+ forms of chronic joint inflammation that can wear away at cartilage. Arthritis deteriorates this rubbery substance and its ability to absorb movement, until, in some people, it’s completely worn down to the point that bones rub against each other.

And there’s an interesting link between arthritis and the weather: many patients ï¿½ and the doctors who care for them ï¿½ report that joint pain and arthritis symptoms flare up before a storm or changes in the atmosphere.

What’s the Link?

The idea that weather influences pain goes back at least 1,600 years, to Hippocrates in the fourth century BC, and probably earlier. The scientific term is ‘human biometeorology’, and there’s a definitive link between the two in obvious scenarios; you’ll get burnt if you leave your skin unprotected in the sun for example. There are few studies between arthritis and weather changes, however.

So what’s the connection?

In theory, it’s caused by barometric pressure. This is the pressure exerted by air, and it often drops before a storm. If this drop in barometric pressure caused the tissues around the joints to swell, it is conceivable that changes in the weather, like an impending storm, could trigger a flare-up of arthritic symptoms.

There is some evidence to support this thesis. In the 1960s, researcher John Hollander isolated patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a sealed chamber and gradually increased the barometric conditions. The result? Minor swelling with a rise in humidity and decrease in pressure.

Bear in mind the huge variety of possible atmospheric conditions and combinations with joint pain symptoms. Many doctors are believers too, and experience a surge in patients complaining of joint pain on rainy days. There’s clearly a link between the weather and joint pain. Perhaps a better question is how do you manage that pain?

A Natural Way to Manage Joint Pain

The answer to this may already be within you. Specifically, several compounds that occur naturally in cartilage, including glucosamine and chondroitin. They’re both lost in the ageing process, and there are no rich food sources for either one.

A study conducted in 2006 revealed that patients who supplemented with glucosamine experienced a “significant improvement” for pain symptoms related to osteoarthritis. And four clinical studies suggest that chondroitin can lubricate the joints and block the enzymes that break down cartilage.

Further reason to use a natural joint relief supplement: traditional joint relief medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cox-2 inhibitors are not recommended for long-term use because they’re linked to adverse side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding and increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

Studies show comparable joint pain relief from willow bark extract ï¿½ found in Joint Relief Solution ï¿½ and even reduced loss of cartilage, from avocado soybean unsaponifiables, as seen in a 2002 study of patients with osteoarthritis of the hip.

Conclusion

You don’t control the weather. But many arthritis patients live with chronic pain that flares up from changes in the atmosphere. They literally “feel it in their bones”, and with roughly one in three Americans living with ongoing joint pain, they want relief.

The best way to reduce joint pain, quite frankly, may simply be to pursue natural treatment for arthritis with a joint relief supplement with Chondroitin and Glucosamine. Multiple studies demonstrate these two compounds not only reduce joint pain, they may also protect cartilage and offer greater mobility. That’s more that most arthritis medications offer, and probably safer as well.

Try Joint Relief Solution. A blend of natural ingredients, including glucosamine and chondroitin, it’s also formulated with willow bark extract. You might be surprised to learn that willow bark has the same active ingredient as aspirin, and shows dramatic reduction in pain symptoms, with less reliance on NSAIDs as well.